Many long-time employees discovered themselves at the centre of the gig economy after losing their jobs due to businesses closing during the pandemic. Companies’ preference for hiring temporary and contract workers over permanent employees in the gig economy brought about a labour market mismatch that has benefitted permanent workers for decades.
It is difficult to declare whether this economy is excellent or terrible. However, for those who have been in the world of freelance work for some time, seeing and seizing chances is simple if you know where to look.
What Does the Gig Economy Mean?
Let’s establish our key phrases first before moving on. The word “gig economy” describes a labour market where contract, freelancing, or short-term work is more common than traditional long-term employment. Instead of being hired by one company full-time, people in the gig economy frequently work on an assignment or task basis, taking on various assignments or “gigs” with different companies or clients. Numerous gig workers, according to research, take on multiple gigs. They put in about 8 hours a week on every task. The gig economy has an exciting future.
Originally used to describe musical performances (such as those at concerts), the term “gig” has come to apply to a wider variety of employment arrangements in several other sectors.
Technological improvements, notably through online platforms and mobile apps that connect employees with potential clients, have enabled and expanded the gig economy.
Important traits of the gig economy include:
Independent labour: People in the gig economy usually work for themselves and are self-employed. Their choice of when, where, or how much they labour is more flexible and autonomous.
Task-based or brief engagements: Gig workers accept discrete assignments, projects, or activities for predetermined lengths in place of long-term employment contracts.
Digital platforms: In the gig economy, online platforms and applications are important because they act as middlemen between employees and employment possibilities. These platforms frequently make the rating/review, payment, and matching procedures easier.
Range of work schedules: The gig economy includes a broad spectrum of professions and sectors. Freelance work, remote or on-demand employment, contract or temporary labour, and even operations delivered by independent contractors such as food delivery couriers, artists, authors, or ride-sharing drivers are all included.
Flexible work hours, greater potential for earnings for some people, and the opportunity to diversify revenue sources are some advantages of the gig economy. However, this model has drawbacks and issues, such as irregular pay, restricted access to benefits that companies usually offer (like health insurance and retirement plans), and the possibility of exploitation or the absence of labour laws for gig workers.
Networks and skill sets play a major role in freelance work. It’s common for novices to experience some overwhelm. But you may turn your side employment into a full-fledged business or source of income if you have the necessary talents and are willing to develop new ones. To help you get started, consider these business ideas:
Top Freelance Business Ideas
1. Ridesharing Services
If you have the extra time, this is an ideal way to increase your paycheck if you work as a freelancer and also own a car. Just watch out that you don’t have a lot of road rage because the congested roads and unfriendly drivers might wear you out.
One of the main segments of the gig economy is accredited driving, where you may work for reputable ridesharing firms and have access to a large customer base. An average ridesharing driver may make between $25 and $35 per hour.
Yes, it seems like a nice side gig, but isn’t it not a business? This is where your suggestion should be applied.
After you understand how ridesharing operates, you may learn more about it and make adjustments to start your own ridesharing business.
2. Delivery Services
Online shopping and e-commerce have contributed to the exponential growth of delivery services into a significant service business. Not to mention that the bulk of employees and students these days are locked up at home, which has increased the need for delivery services.
These days, delivery is required for anything that can be bought online, including groceries, clothing, medications, and meals. The list is extensive. Even some drivers for ridesharing services take side delivery requests.
To participate in this service or turn it into your own business, download a well-known delivery app and look for ways to improve it. Usually, when a consumer finishes an online order, the shipping process begins. The item is delivered to the client by a designated delivery staff member after they are contacted. The delivery person accepts the work, collects the item, and drives it to the customer’s address.
3. Cryptocurrency
Independent freelancers are trying out Bitcoin as a more practical, dependable, and international payment option as the gig economy grows. Startups provide tools that enable independent contractors to transact securely around the world, removing the constraints of conventional financial institutions. Employers and gig workers may deal instantaneously since cryptocurrency provides security and transparency.
Furthermore, companies provide decentralized systems for invoicing and payment, enabling gig workers to get paid in cryptocurrency straight into their digital wallets.
4. Gig Economy Analytics
Data analytics has transformed the gig economy by streamlining processes and facilitating better decision-making. By utilizing data analytics solutions, independent contractors may enhance their competitiveness by gaining important insights into market conditions and optimizing pricing tactics. Cloud computing, big data analytics tools, data visualization software, and machine learning methods are some of the technologies that startups use to create.
Through analysing various previous earnings and other related information, data analytics also assists gig workers in identifying the most lucrative prospects. Gig employers may precisely anticipate periods of significant demand by using data analytics, which allows them to schedule more workers ahead of time to handle the anticipated workload. As a result, they can allocate resources more effectively and ensure the appropriate employees are given the necessary duties.
5. Google Advertising Consulting
In the realm of digital marketing, Google AdWords is unmatched. Many companies are investigating the benefits of Google AdWords to expand their audience reach and increase their return on investment in their PPC campaigns. These days, the majority of firms run their paid advertisements on AdWords. A Certified Google AdWords Consultant offers a fantastic career potential because of the increased reliance on AdWords. You may study every aspect of AdWords and get advice on what works and what doesn’t using Google’s Adwords Certification, which offers free online training.
6. SEO Services
SEO companies use search engine optimization techniques to get high-ranking positions in search engine results pages, increasing the number of website visits. SEO may be quite intimidating for someone who is just starting out in their career or the owner of a small business. The good news is that there are plenty of free training resources accessible to transform a knowledge-hungry novice into an SEO expert.
7. Create a Freelance Staffing Agency
It goes without saying that talent with various abilities is valued in the gig economy. As a result, there is an enormous need for contract or independent workers. Establishing a virtual assistant or employment agency is a fantastic business idea if you have prior experience working as a virtual assistant and understand several others who do as well.
Although you can focus on recommending generic virtual assistants, you can also investigate different industries. For instance, you can suggest paralegal, engineering, or accounting assistants to highly technological companies or people who want a dependable, tech-savvy secretary with experience in their industry.
8. Localization
In the gig economy, localization refers to adjusting services to certain regions while considering regional customs, linguistic differences, and market conditions. This is one of the creative developments in the gig economy because of these insightful findings. Startups provide solutions to overcome language, cultural, and legal hurdles, promoting a more integrated global workforce.
This trend encompasses technologies such as location-based job portals, AI-driven matching methods, and geolocation. They make it possible for clients to quickly locate local, competent gig workers. Localization benefits both gig workers and companies since it expands their market reach and strengthens their relationships with the community.
9. Connected Workforce
Another emerging development in the gig economy is using mobile applications, smart wearables, or IoT devices to assist businesses in creating connected workforces. IoT sensors offer insightful data to streamline the workflows of gig workers and handle safety issues. Freelancers can work remotely with clients and colleagues and get real-time updates via smart devices.
Integrating IoT devices guarantees effective resource allocation, expedites operations, and enhances productivity. Improved connection is changing the gig economy, reinventing the workplace, and making the global freelancing scene more dynamic, adaptable, and lucrative.
10. Food Delivery
The market for food delivery is changing due to the emergence of digital technologies. When it comes to ordering supper, consumers who are used to buying with the utmost ease and transparency via apps or websites are beginning to want the same experience. Among the food delivery services with the quickest growth rate are Postmates and DoorDash, which now employ delivery drivers in most of the country’s largest cities. Local clients place orders with delivery drivers, who utilize their own cars to pick up and drop off goods. Drivers choose their own hours and receive compensation for every delivery.
11. Create a Coworking Area
Speaking of renting spaces, creating a co-working space for independent contractors and permanent employees currently working from home is another viable business concept.
As you are undoubtedly already aware, the work-from-home arrangement makes it difficult for many workers to maintain a work-life balance. Some people become sidetracked by kids and other family members who can’t control their voices. Some people are likewise readily enticed to spend the entire day in bed rather than working.
Having said that, you can provide a comfortable and secure workspace for these workers, enabling them to focus more intently at work. If you do this, you must ensure that social distance measures are maintained and that visitors follow basic health precautions while entering the coworking area.
12. Establish a Content Creation Company
Should you possess extensive expertise as a certified wordsmith, e-book writer, proofreader, or content writer, you might perhaps market your skills to business owners who want these services to grow their company.
Once more, you are not alone in doing this. You will also need to collaborate with other authors and content creators if you wish to turn this talent into a business concept. In this manner, you may expand the range of niches for which your services are suitable and provide additional content-related services like data entry, editing, video creation, animation, or social networking services.
13. Data Analyst
The use of data analysis is growing. Data analytics is used by businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to not only look back at past transactions and events but also identify new patterns in user or client behaviour and forecast future developments. When considering a career in data analytics, numerous individuals see themselves in a full-time office position with all the benefits often associated with IT businesses. However, there is a substitute that offers greater flexibility and freedom: independent data analysis.
A freelance data analyst works for themselves and contracts with companies to provide their time and expertise. The popularity of these vocations is rising.
Conclusion
The gig economy and the countless opportunities it offers are here to stay. One of the best things about working in the gig economy is that you may develop your abilities and launch your own company after gaining sufficient experience and connections. But it’s important to remember that there are risks associated with the gig economy, which call for management and close attention.
Even while the gig economy is frequently linked to extra money or part-time employment, it offers plenty of chances for personal development and professional advancement. You can succeed as an entrepreneur with the right concepts, abilities, and knowledge in the current business environment.
